Jake Hadley may have lost a unanimous decision to Cody Durden at UFC Nashville on Saturday night, but the flyweight prospect is lucky to be alive after he “saw God” during a near-death weight cut leading up to the fight.
Hadley, 27, is one of the most promising young talents in the UFC’s flyweight division. After losing his UFC debut just over one year ago the English fighter racked off two-straight finishes, which is why he was the betting favorite to take care of Durden at UFC Nashville and push towards a top 15 matchup.
Unfortunately, Durden’s wrestling, high-level cardio, and sheer toughness were too much for Hadley to handle. In the end, Hadley ended up dropping a decision loss on the heels of four Durden takedowns and constant pressure on the feet. Needless to say, Hadley was disappointed with his performance.
That said, Hadley should be counting his lucky stars after leaving Nashville in one piece. Not because of his three-round war with Durden, but because of the near-death weight cut he had to push through to even make it to the event. The weight cut was so bad that Hadley claims he “saw God for a second.”
We’ve heard of some serious weight cuts in the past, but rarely do you hear a fighter reveal that he saw God. Pretty crazy stuff.
Hadley explained his difficult weight cut following his loss to Durden. Check it out below courtesy of Twitter:
Lost the fight few things went wrong before the fight I almost died during the weight cut I actually saw god for a second. couldn’t rehydrate like normal felt like that had a major effect on my performance because I couldn’t push like normal anyone who knows me knows I never gas. pic.twitter.com/q74hlEjT6S
— Jake Hadley (@JakeHadleyMMA) August 6, 2023
“Lost the fight few things went wrong before the fight I almost died during the weight cut I actually saw god for a second. couldn’t rehydrate like normal felt like that had a major effect on my performance because I couldn’t push like normal anyone who knows me knows I never gas.”
For complete UFC Nashville results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.